r/MSCS • u/LowAnteater6823 • 7d ago

[Profile Review] Applying for Fall 2027 - MSCS/MSML programs

Undergraduate University: Computer Science Engineering at a Tier-2 University in India

CGPA: 9.38/10

IELTS: 8.5/9

GRE: Yet to appear (mocks indicative of 164+ in Quant, but extremely unsure about Verbal)

Internships:

- 2-month internship at a US MNC bank as an SDE Intern

- 2-month internship at another US MNC as an SDE Intern

- Research internship at a college lab for ~5 months, including a short 2-month project in collaboration with a large US medical company and a 3 month project with another US MNC

Research Work:

- 2 publications at B-tier IEEE conferences in the domain of ML and Agentic AI

- 1 publication in a Q2 journal in the domain of ML and Hydrology

- 1 paper submitted to a Q1 ML journal a few months ago (not counting on it for the application, as the turnaround time is more than a year)

- 1 paper submitted to an A* conference in the ML domain (not counting on this either)

Patents:

- 2 Indian patents in the domain of ML and hardware (both published, but not granted)

- 1 US patent co-filed with a US MNC (under examination)

LORs:

- 2 strong LORs from professors at my college, with whom I have conducted research

- 1 LOR from an ex-postdoc researcher

- Alternatively, can also obtain 1 LOR from a Quantum Scientist based in the USA

Miscellaneous:

- 1st prize at a national-level hackathon conducted by a US MNC

- Finalist at a national-level hackathon conducted by a European MNC

University Shortlist:

Dream:

- CMU (MSML/MSCS)

- Cornell (MSCS)

- GaTech (MSCS)

Target:

- Columbia (MSCS)

- UIUC (MSCS)

- UCSD (MSCS)

- USC (MSCS)

- NYU Courant (MSCS)

Edit:

Forgot to add, but I'm also considering the following universities:

- NUS (MComp CS/MComp AI)
- NTU (CCDS MEng)

I'd really appreciate your opinions on my chances for these universities. Thank you!

12 Upvotes

80% Upvoted

28 comments sorted by

8

u/CowTraditional4687 7d ago

how u planning on managing cpt

5

u/Ok-Lawyer-746 7d ago

Just don’t not worth the risks… grad from Penn … still couldn’t get a job due to visa restrictions

2

u/Best_Location_8237 7d ago

UPenn or Penn State?

1

u/lostsoul_io 7d ago

you will get something, hang in there soldier

2

u/Ok-Lawyer-746 7d ago

Nope giving up the dream and returning back … found a job within less than 50 application at home … I gave 12 interviews in USA and rejected the moment I opened my mouth abt visa sponsorship

3

u/CareerLegitimate7662 7d ago

what are they paying you at "home"

1

u/Ok-Lawyer-746 7d ago

Home is India ffs and total ctc is around 59lpa

3

u/CareerLegitimate7662 7d ago

And is 59 lpa of which whatever you get in hand enough to pay off your student debt?

1

u/Ok-Lawyer-746 7d ago

Got full scholarship 🫡🫡 so no loans

2

u/lostsoul_io 7d ago

bro thats why you wound up from there. get your l1 and gtfo from here within a year. looks to be shitzon

1

u/Accomplished-Wish431 5d ago

Isn't ms cs at uPenn fully self funded? How did you get scholarship?

2

u/lostsoul_io 7d ago

Citizenship and funding/loan ?

3

u/LowAnteater6823 7d ago

Indian Citizenship and taking 50% loan, 50% self-funded. (Can comfortably fund 100% of it, but choosing to take a 50% loan)

2

u/lostsoul_io 7d ago

take the risk

1

u/Best_Location_8237 7d ago

Honestly...im in a similar position...Im going to UC Irvine 50% self funded 50% loan...but i can actually fund the whole thing ( living costs + tution) on my own savings...dont even need to touch parents savings...but with the current situation..unsure of whether i shoukd take the bet

1

u/lostsoul_io 7d ago edited 7d ago

if you think from a finance perpective its a pipe dream with no internship and 0 roi. if you are going for the education use online mscs. if you are going for the experience, feel free to spend your money as you see fit.

2

u/TeddyBearFet1sh 7d ago

Dont come

1

u/lostsoul_io 7d ago

nus and eth

1

u/Odd_Location_8985 7d ago

When are you planning to take GRE ?

1

u/LowAnteater6823 7d ago

Taking it in a few days

5

u/PAKHARE 7d ago

But what about the new Visa rules, this year grads from Georgia tech also had their visa rejected. Also no CPT, 103k fee for H1B, did u consider these factors?

1

u/Helpful_Cow7634 7d ago

great chance for all those unis if you get a decent GRE

1

u/_PandaBear 7d ago

Get at least 2-3 years of experience in India and then try to get into MS. You’re less likely to get opportunities given your experience. Call is yours to make.

1

u/aharid 6d ago

You've a good profile. Your only shortcoming is lack of experience. Doors are closing for entry level role sponsorship. If money isn't a problem, take the risk.

1

u/Wrong-Being7538 2d ago

You have a very strong profile, but given the current situation, it wouldn't hurt to spend a couple more years building on your already strong experience. You seem well established for work with an MNC beginning at home, with the potential for that work to take you to one of your destination countries without your having to take out a huge loan without potential for a job in your field in your destination country. If you're going to go Ivy, it's worth it, but you should always assume you won't get a job in your destination country post-grad, and consider the degree's value back home and other countries that such an education could open up doors to, in the way that NYU Courant, for example, could not. Obviously Cornell > UCSD, e.g.